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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [174r] (352/454)
The record is made up of 1 volume (223 folios). It was created in 1923. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
THE NIGHT ADVANCE
321
As in the case of transport animals, further and undesirable
delay would have occurred if they had had to be brought
up.
At dusk on the 27th, General Delamain’s infantry, following
the cavalry, artillery and transport, which had all passed over
during the afternoon, crossed the boat bridge over the Tigris ;
and by midnight 27th/28th his whole force was concentrated
at Clery’s Post, with the exception of the two battalions 30th
Brigade remaining on the right bank. On the way to Clery's
Post the column was joined by the other section of the l/5th
Hants Howitzer Battery from General Fry’s column, and at
Clery’s Post the detachment there under Colonel Clery also
joined the column. Half the 117th Mahrattas were, however,
left to protect the second line transport and rations which
remained there.
In accordance with the operation order for the battle,
issued by General Townshend on the 26th, General Delamain’s
column was, on the 28th, to execute a turning attack against
the enemy’s left flank and rear. General Delamain was in the
first place to attack and envelop the enemy’s entrenchments
north of the Suwada marsh ; he was then to sweep down in
a south-easterly direction, leaving the Suwada marsh on his
left, and attack the flank of the enemy’s second position
between the Suwada marsh and the Tigris ; this second position
was supposed to be in rear of the trenches which were being
engaged by the column under General Fry.
At 2 a.m. General Delamain left Clery’s Post for his position
of deployment, a point about 5,000 yards east of the
northern section of the hostile position. It was marked by its
position in relation to the south-west corner of the Suwaikiya
marsh, of which the Royal Engineer officer who guided the
column had obtained a compass bearing in a personal recon
naissance. In this, however, he had been prevented by hostile
horsemen from traversing the whole route; and had received
orders to make no attempt to carry out further reconnaissance
as it was considered undesirable to arouse the enemy s sus
picions. The operation map prepared as a result of air
reconnaissance gave a fair indication of the relative position
of the different topographical features, but the wide variation
of its magnetic bearings with those obtained by the Engineer
officer made it inadvisable to include any compass bearing in
the orders issued to the column.*
* At that time the Air Force in Mesopotamia had not got a really reliable
compass for aeroplane work.
(6788) Y
About this item
- Content
The volume is the first volume of an official government publication compiled at the request of the Government of India, and under the direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence, by Brigadier-General Frederick James Moberly. The volume was printed and published at His Majesty's Stationery Office, London.
The contents provide a narrative of the operations of 1914-1918 in Mesopotamia, based mainly on official documents.
The volume is divided into two parts. The first part, entitled, 'Part I. Before the Outbreak of Hostilities', consists of the following five chapters:
- General Description of the Country
- The Turks in Mesopotamia
- British Pre-War Policy
- The Army in India and Pre-War Military Policy
- Inception of the Operations
The second part, entitled, 'Part II. The Campaign in Lower Mesopotamia', consists of the following seven chapters:
- The Landing in Mesopotamia of Force "D" and the Operations Leading to the Occupation of Basra
- The Occupation of Basra and the Capture of Qurna
- Commencement of the Turkish Counter-Offensive
- Development and Defeat of the Turkish Counter-Offensive
- Operations in Arabistan and the Capture of Amara
- Operations on the Euphrates and the Occupation of Nasiriya
- The battle of Kut and Occupation of Aziziya
The volume also includes nine maps, entitled:
- The Middle East
- Lower Mesopotamia
- Map 1 - To illustrate operations described in Chapter VI
- Map 2 - To illustrate fighting near Qurna
- Map 3 - To illustrate fighting round Shaiba
- Map 4 - To illustrate operations in Persian Arabistan
- Map 5 - To illustrate operations in the Akaika Channel 27th June to 5th July 1915
- Map 6 - To illustrate operations near Nasiriya 6th to 24th July 1915
- Map 7 - To illustrate the Battle of Kut 28th September 1915
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (223 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume contains a page of errata (folio 5), a list of contents (folios 6-8), a list of maps and illustrations (folio 9), appendices (folios 185v-192), an index (folios 192v-214v), and eight maps in a pocket attached to the inside back cover (folios 217-224).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 225; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [174r] (352/454), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100048172214.0x000099> [accessed 4 April 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/1
- Title
- 'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:3r, 4r:216v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence